11th Wädenswil Day of Life Sciences hosts Hydroxyanthracene Derivatives Symposium

This year’s Day of Life Sciences of the Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, which is organised by the Phytopharmacy and Natural Product Group and supported by the Phytochemical Society Europe (PSE) and the Swiss Medical Society for Phytotherapy (SMGP), is dedicated to the Hydoxyanthracene Derivatives – a topic specially selected on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Prof. Beat Meier for honouring his outstanding scientific achievements in phytochemical analysis for the European Pharmacopoeia and the Swiss Pharmacopoeia as well as for various industrial applications.

Hydroxyanthracene derivatives are a pharmacologically interesting class of chemical substances naturally occurring in different botanical species. Compounds of this class act as prodrugs being converted into active metabolites in the gastrointestinal tract, where they exert a motility promoting effect. Several of the plants containing hydroxyanthracene derivatives are the source of recognised herbal drugs such as senna, rhubarb, cascara, aloe and frangula, all of them well known for their long tradition in different medical systems in the treatment of bowel function irregularities. In this function hydroxyanthracene derivatives continue to lend themselves to an important therapeutic option for responding to one of the major health problems linked with modern lifestyle.

The Hydroxyanthracene Derivatives Symposium will feature cuttingedge contributions about analysis, quality, safety and efficacy of this interesting phytochemical substance class. In addition to this, the meeting will provide a platform for dialogue and scientific knowledge transfer for participants from industry, regulatory bodies, academia or education and has the intention to support the future work on monographs for the concerned herbal drugs.

This year’s Day of Life Sciences of the Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, which is organised by the Phytopharmacy and Natural Product Group and supported by the Phytochemical Society Europe (PSE) and the Swiss Medical Society for Phytotherapy (SMGP), is dedicated to the Hydoxyanthracene Derivatives – a topic specially selected on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Prof. Beat Meier for honouring his outstanding scientific achievements in phytochemical analysis for the European Pharmacopoeia and the Swiss Pharmacopoeia as well as for various industrial applications.

Hydroxyanthracene derivatives are a pharmacologically interesting class of chemical substances naturally occurring in different botanical species. Compounds of this class act as prodrugs being converted into active metabolites in the gastrointestinal tract, where they exert a motility promoting effect. Several of the plants containing hydroxyanthracene derivatives are the source of recognised herbal drugs such as senna, rhubarb, cascara, aloe and frangula, all of them well known for their long tradition in different medical systems in the treatment of bowel function irregularities. In this function hydroxyanthracene derivatives continue to lend themselves to an important therapeutic option for responding to one of the major health problems linked with modern lifestyle.

The Hydroxyanthracene Derivatives Symposium will feature cuttingedge contributions about analysis, quality, safety and efficacy of this interesting phytochemical substance class. In addition to this, the meeting will provide a platform for dialogue and scientific knowledge transfer for participants from industry, regulatory bodies, academia or education and has the intention to support the future work on monographs for the concerned herbal drugs.